1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to work stations that provide a work area as well as a storage area within an automobile vehicle. More particularly, the in-car work station of the present invention relates to a work station intended to be placed in the front passenger seat of the vehicle so as to provide the driver of the vehicle with a mobile office having an area for writing, operating a portable computer, and storing files, in addition to an area for storing supplies and equipment such as note pads, paper clips, staplers, pens, dictation machines and mobile phones. Specific attributes of the present invention allow for accessibility from the vehicle's driver seat thereby enhancing and increasing its usefulness over prior art designs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In todays highly mobile society, many individuals find it necessary to work out of their car or truck. As such, the motor vehicle becomes a mobile office. These individuals obviously include but are by no means limited to sales, marketing and customer service representatives, building contractors and delivery people. In short, principally any individual whose scope of employment requires them to regularly meet with clients at a location outside the main or base office.
While the above is not an exhaustive listing of individuals and the particular needs of each job will vary, it can be seen that these professions require that the individuals keep or take with them the various documents, files and supplies they will need to properly service the needs of their clients. In addition to having files and supplies on hand, these individuals may also find it beneficial and/or necessary to have an area in their vehicle where they can make written notations, utilize a notebook computer, portable phone or other electronic mechanism, and stay in communication with the home office or other clients.
Previously, individuals who needed to work out of their vehicle relied upon the standard brief case, or just a plain box, in order to store and organize the anticipated daily materials. Opened up and set upon the passenger's seat, these "containers" not only proved to be inconvenient and cumbersome, but have also proven to be too small and generally unworkable. One reason for the inconvenience of these containers was that they required all of their contents be taken with the individual when the individual left the vehicle in calling upon a client, even though only a small fraction of these contents might actually be relevant to that particular client. With respect to their actual usefulness in the vehicle, these containers provided little in the way of a usable writing surface. Typically, a clip board was utilized for that purpose.
Recognizing the limitations of the above, some manufacturers began offering portable consoles or work stations designed with an eye toward the convenience of the individual who must work out of a vehicle.
This next generation of in-car work stations generally included a design intended for placement on the vehicle's front passenger seat or attachment to the front dashboard so that an individual, in the driver's seat, has some access to storage and work areas on the work stations or consoles. Often, these prior apparatuses were provided with a hinged top that not only concealed the various storage compartments of the console, but also doubled as a writing surface.
While better than a mere box or briefcase, second generation work stations have proven to be less than ideal. Their foremost and most common deficiency has seemed to be that actual use of the console from the driver's seat was not specifically designed into the work stations. While they could be accessed, they were actually little more than a storage compartment in the passenger seat. In order to take written notes while in the vehicle, the occupant was required to lean over the center console or arm rest in an awkward position to write on the top of the work station. Additionally, if using the top surface of the work station for writing purposes, it was not possible to simultaneously access a file within the work station, let alone have enough usable surface space for opening and spreading out a necessary file or document. Also, the minimal usable surface area prevented the simultaneous use of, and easy access to, other devices such as notebook computers.
In view of the foregoing limitations and shortcomings of the prior articles, as well as other disadvantages not specifically mentioned above, it should be apparent that there still exists a need for an improved in-car work station. Specifically, one which is functional while also providing the user with enhanced accessibility to the various portions of the work station and a better orientation of the various work areas in relation to use from the driver's seat of the vehicle.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to fulfill that need by providing an in-car work station which has been designed with the specific intent of providing increased access and usability from the driver's seat of the vehicle.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an in-car work station which is positioned on the passenger seat cushion within the vehicle.
It is also an object of this invention to provide an in-car work station which can be accessed through the passenger door of the vehicle so that files, stored in the work station, can be removed as needed during a client visit.
Another object of this invention is to provide an in-car work station with an extendable portion, in the direction of the driver, which increases the usable work area of the work station while also providing the driver with a writing surface within easy reach from the driver seat, specifically over the vehicle's center console.
An additional object of this invention to provide an in-car work station which functions as an in-car desk have most or all of the accompanying desired features of work space and supply storage.
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide an in-car work station which includes an area adapted to receive a portable or notebook computer for use from the vehicle's driver seat.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an in-car work station which can be connected to the electrical system of the vehicle to provide multiple outlets for the attachment of various electronic equipment, as might be used by the occupant of the vehicle.